Hobie kayaks...say what!?

[ful-rac]

My first attempt at a jimdayesqe post!

First off this post is not intended to be negative towards hobie kayaks in fact i believe they are the best overall, in my opinion. The purpose of this post is to be open and honest about hobies, to help inform somebody trying to get into the sport or wanting to switch over to the darkside...or stay a kayak paddle purist.

I was talking to a certain non-hobie user today, and his concern was that nobody would openly criticize hobie kayaks in public. So as a former paddle kayak user and current hobie kayak user i will throw out some negatives and positive things that i have found not just with the pro angler but hobie kayaks in general. Feel free to add your own negative or positive experiences.

The drive:
Lets start with the main part, the drive. There seems to be alot going on with that mirage drive.....cables, pulleys, gears, pins, nuts, screws, cables, shafts, pedals, fins... I've been a pro angler user for about 3 years now and yes i have broken my mirage drive several times over the years, as well as seen others break theirs. I personally have broken the idler wheel, the cable, one of the crank arms, ive had to replace the drums, new set of cables. I have seen others break masts idler cables, stretch out their drive cables...wear out main shafts, set screws come loose, allowing the main shaft to slide out and pin the mirage drive to the kayak...whew! Oh yeah and the dreaded mirage drive click...

So it seems why would someone buy something like this? My answer would be because it works.....most of the time. Yes the mirage drive does break, and it does need care and maintenance, just like anything else. But with proper care and a good kayak shop, it should last many years. Of course a paddle kayak lacks this piece of modern art so it cant break, much to the amusement of the paddle kayaker, "purist".

Storage:
As big as a hobie PA is...where is all the storage....? Can i stick my 50 pound WSB inside this monster of a kayak? Hell no! You gotta strap that sucker down cross your fingers and hope for the best. Hobies are not very good on storage...i remember a certain kayaker...lets call him brett (mtnbiker) caught his personal best halibut, 30 pound class fish. Couldnt carry this thing back in his outback or revo...simply because he had no place to put it for the 3 mile trek back to the launch...so malibu kayak saves the day. At the time i had a stealth 14 and was easily able to stick that sucker inside my hatch along with my fish, with room left over.
Yeah no storage inside my PA, just enough for a jacket, dry box/bag, safty gear little stuff. Did i mention i gaffed it for him too....?

Weight:
Yeah this thing is a beast especially when fully loaded. Granted fully unloaded its not that bad believe it or not. So you end up having to strip it down completely if you want to get it on top of your truck or car. It takes alot of extra time to get everything set up and broken down...at least for me it does...I have found that if you get the right set of really expensive wheeleeze wheels you can move this beast with ease. If you get the wheels balanced just right you could even move it with one finger fully loaded.

Cost:
Yes hobie kayaks are alot more expensive...but two of the reasons why is, quality and service. When you look at a hobie kayak...it just screams quality, sorry "purists". I have to admit, i really didnt like hobies until i owned one. The look and feel to a hobie seems far superior than any other kayak on the market today...my opinion of course. The service is good, not to say other manufacturers service isnt...but ive had my kayak replaced for warranty issues and have seen others replaced for no charge, even when i wouldnt expect them to. (MATT)

Surf Launches and landings:
Oh the dreaded surf launch...the PA does very well in calm conditions but throw in a swell and 3+ foot surf...your going for a ride! Its always exciting when your launching your PA and it does a 90degree turn right in the "kill zone" for no apparent reason while your launching...yes they dont track good without the rudder down. I personally survived (dont know how) a 5' wave breaking right on my face with my PA...didnt even flip...jim didnt make it though....

Landings can be exciting too, im sure all of you have seen frank wiredantzs video of me eating it in the surf possibly the greatest video of all time. I honestly dont see why its funny but other people seem to think so. That happened because i had lost my paddle earlier in the day bad timing and i got caught in the kill zone with no way to back up or turn around. Since then i havent had any crashes that i can remember....i like to come in sideways and brace into the oncoming waves all the way in, it seems to work.

Fishing:
No you halibut guys cant fish with the butt of the rod under your leg, not gonna happen on the PA. But...you can move along and fish into the wind with the rod in your hand/s instead. Yes you can get the spectra and kelp stuck in your drive fins....just pull your drive out and move on. You might have to go around the kelp instead of plowing thru it like you would on a regular kayak...this really sucks...it could add some mileage to your trip.

Sandwich:
You could eat your busy bee sandwich, drink your beer eat your chips make a phone call send a text, check what stupid shit got posted on BWE (like this post) all while making way to the fishing grounds. That is MONEY

Stand up like a man:
Fight your fish standing up!! Anyways.... Ever want to stand up and pee like a man on your kayak? The PA is your "boat"!

Lowrance Ready:
Lowrance ready is not lowrance ready...WTF? Only the standard 83/200 50/200 fit in the standard lowrance ready slot. Apparently the newer style can fit with some modifiaction...but come on...whos fault is this hobie or lowrance? Otherwise HDS users rejoice! Amazing quality and sight picture. The best mounting soulution in the BIZ!

The seat:
I forgot about the seat...yes the previous generation PA seat was nice but it wasnt all nice...it was nice that there were no arm rests so you could just hop out or sit sideways if you need to. It was not nice that it was a pain in the ass to open the tackle box hatch what ever you call it. It was also not nice that the buckles on the seat would break. Also the straps would eventually give out from the constant wear and adjusting from loosening...

The vantage seat, the only thing that i dont like about the new seat is the arm rests...you cant just jump out of the kayak like you used to. But i can over look that fact because the new seat is awesome! Adjustable comfortable, quickly removeable, rock solid....but comes at an awesome price!!!!$$$$$!!!!!

Now is the PA good for everyone, is it the perfect kayak/boat....NO..but its a damn good one. It has its drawbacks but IMO its positives definitely outweigh its negatives.

I dont care if you didnt ask for my opinion, its mine and im stickn to it!

Im tired....does anybody have any more to add to this nonsense?

Are you happy Anonymous purist kayaker?

[William Novotny]

You said everything in a nutshell. My main con was the huge event prepping to get on the water and the breakdown/ cleaning when I got off. It made my 4 hr morning before work missions impossible andi found myself fishing less. Might be easier for someone with a pickup truck buti was roofing mine on an suv. Had to wait to fish on days off and hope the weather was good. If I had the money and storage I would own both so I could have the luxury of the pa and still have a paddle yak for those quick morning missions. Nothing beats the comfort of that damn seat. My butt misses it...

[FISH11]

It wasn't me! I appreciate you coming clean. It was not me you were speaking with, but as a non Hobie owner, I have always wondered why no Hobie owner would ever say anything negative other the about the seat. There have been many times while launching at La Jolla that I've watched what the PA owners go through trying to get past the surf. I have to admit I chuckled cause it's like someone trying to go out in a Gondola. Standing up trying to paddle until they are deep enough to use the Mirage drive, and god know if a wave hits it off center to the bow, then watch out. Once under way I do admit they go pretty well and yes you can stand up. That is good for casting surface irons and if you have to pee. I have never spent any time watching them surf in, but I would think that might be a good time to sit there with my camera shooting some video. The thing that I see as a big negative is the ridiculous difference in price over all of the competition. That would include all the other brands that now make similar size Kayaks even with some type of pedal drive. The other is how much they weigh compared to others of the same size. The difference is not quality or strength. So thank you FULL-Rack for saying what the others won't. By the way this was not meant as some challenge to those who will be upset someone said something negative about their Hobie. Just my $.02

[kayakfisherman]

I owned a PA-14 for close to a year. I've been fishing from Cobra's
FishnDive for close to 10yrs prior.

This is my first time rendering my opinion(s):

Speed and Performance
The best. Acceleration, turning ability and the glide--just insane.

Going backwards??
You can't. So if you need to back up for any multitude of reasons,
forget it. You've got to make a big circle. And pray you can get back
to the spot if you didn't hit the MOB button.

Over the Kelp??
Kiss that one good bye.

Hands Off Steering??
I call BS. Your one hand has got to be on the steering handle all the
time. Otherwise people think your drunk or endlessly smoking pot
from all your zig-zagging. So tieing knots, eating, playing with the FF, etc,
you can do it, if you willing to zig zag.

Storage??
The worst. Such a huge kayak, such an expensive kayak, and no storage?
I've been camping on the islands off Baja with all my fishing gear, camping
gear and the kitchen sink stuffed inside my kayak.

I've been in the middle of a hot bite catching fish after fish stuffing them
inside my kayak in a matter of seconds. Since I didn't want to waste time
doing anything else beside fish. At the same time, my Hobie neighbors were begging for someone to help them tie up their one fish, behind them. Wasting
time, while they could be still fishing. (Of course I'm not talking about bass)

Here's another example of how the lack of storage can screw you: After catching a trophy my best fishing partner was busy roping, lassoing, hog tieing his yellowtail. Minutes pasted by. A seal noticed half the yellowtail hanging off the side and said to himself, "I must be back in SeaWorld." Grabbed the yellow and flipped the PA-14. Since the yellow was attached to a game clip which was attached to the kayak, hundreds of dollars of gear and one beautiful yellowtail went into the drink. (I won't let him live it down)

Seats with Arm Rests??
What?? I have to have the ability to sit side-saddle, especially when dealing
with bait. Try doing that with arm rests on your seats.

Where to put Trolling Rod Holders??
I need to troll when then pattern calls for it. The big flat black plastic things on the left and right sides of the kayak that are supposedly there to attach your scotty rod holders to, are way too flexible. I always troll with my rods in front of me since I need to see whether my bait or lure is fouled. But watching my rod bouncing up and down constantly drove my nuts. So I decided to do what Hobie Wade did, change the black plastic for thick wood. However, I couldn't remove the attachment screws and neither could the Hobie people since the attachment screw nuts were slipping and inaccessible. Thus, I couldn't have rod holders in front of me.

Bait Tank??
The worst. Yes, Hobie changed the cheap plastic switch shaft for a brass one, but still, the switch is inside the bait tank. Where it's constantly exposed to salt water air. And since the switch is inside the bait tank, you don't notice the corrosion going on--until one day, when you really need it, the switch won't work. That's why anyone who has the bait tank long enough, by passes the switch.

And what happens when your intake is clogged? Nightmare on the water, thats what.

Resonably priced bait tank? Like all Hobie accessories, overpriced.

Paddling??
What happens when the mirage drive fails 2 miles offshore? Paddle?? Or carry an extra mirage drive like Josh does.

Surf Launch??
I've been surfing for 30yrs. I would pray the surf wasn't over 1ft. Launching
or landing. I'd be on the water with a pit in my stomach worried about the surf. Such fun.

Flipping on the water??
You need to be big and strong to re flip a PA-14. Heaven help you if
you're by yourself.

Hobie Service??
I love this one. My kayak leaned to the left when I was sitting or peddling it.
At first I thought it was my FF battery since I put it on the left side near the front. So I put it on the right side. Still leaned to the left. So I took it back. Hobie dealer sat in it with a digital level. And declared, "yes it leans to the left 2degrees. But that's within manufacturers specs. Sorry." WTF??
Screw me once.

Traveling??
Are you Hercules??

Soft bottom??
Such an expensive kayak with cheap thin plastic bottom. You can't throw it
in the back of your pickup, cause the bottom deforms. You can't hang it
over the pick up gate cause you end up with a crease where it hangs over.
You can't lie it flat in your garage since the bottom deforms. Why can't Hobie
make a little less profit and put the money into a thicker plastic, especially on the bottom.

Excerise??
I've been paddling for 10yrs, and at 58 I've got a six pack. I lose 5lbs a day paddling and keep up with--in my FnD--a PA-14 all day long. It's great excerise and I would not trade it for the world.

Standing Up??
You better weigh less than 200lbs, otherwise it time to buy another
expensive Hobie attachment: the stand up bar.

Was I happy when I took a big lose and sold my PA-14??
Happier than a Gay Greek in the Army.

Originally Posted by kayakfisherman

Going backwards??
You can't. So if you need to back up for any multitude of reasons,
forget it. You've got to make a big circle. And pray you can get back
to the spot if you didn't hit the MOB button.

Just put the drive in backwards, it works quite well.

[makobob]

Originally Posted by Drake

Just put the drive in backwards, it works quite well.

2X FIRST trick you learn, takes 10 seconds. Fishing the rocks in Baja, try staying 100 feet out with your drive in backwards. MUCH easier to cast to rocks AND work your jig back to you. HOOK UP, you have him coming toward you not the rocks. DRAW BACK to that is it is much harder to stay in a straight line as the rudder will quickly pull you off track. BUT it has saved lot's of Cabrilla and Tails!!!!! Try it you might like it.

[619-SWIM-DOG]

Originally Posted by Drake

Just put the drive in backwards, it works quite well.

Fish smarter not harder....

[Deamon]

"I was talking to a certain non-hobie user today, and his concern was that nobody would openly criticize hobie kayaks in public"
Let me take a stab...Greg?

"I personally survived (dont know how) a 5' wave breaking right on my face with my PA...didnt even flip...jim didnt make it though...."
Ummm no need to guess who on this one...ME in my 13' Revolution...my only regret is I didn't have the GoPro turned on. THAT would've been a fun one to watch...

"Landings can be exciting too, im sure all of you have seen frank wiredantzs video of me eating it in the surf possibly the greatest video of all time."
DEFINITELY a great video...Please repost so others can "learn" (and laugh) at this again...PLEASE (someone's got it)!

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by ful-rac

My first attempt at a jimdayesqe post!

Not bad

[ChristLike]

it does suck the mirage drive doesn't go in reverse unless you take it out and flip it around, but who wants to do that? Just grab your paddle and back up. I believe hobie will be working on a solution.

As for storage, I personally open my front hatch and take out the white tub and stick a large trash bag under it so when I get the trophys I lean forward, lift it up and the fish go into the hull trash bag liner.

steering is nuts
surf launch is fun, coming back sucks big time(currently mastering the reverse technique) coming back in the way I went out being pushed back.

I do not stand up, to many waves
Bathroom issues, well I invented the hobiewanand2konobie.(taking care of) available on BWE

Im strong so the haul is just good exercise for me

I like the seat, its good for jumping out of coming back in.

I keep a 15lb dumbbell in the front of my pa, it helps it come down faster when the waves hit it

im currently working on a solar powered motor for the PA.

[food4less562]

RIP Hobie Alter

[alanw]

I've read about most of these cons before but it's nice to see them all in one place. There's a few new ones I've not heard mentioned before like the zig-zag steering, inconvenient armrests, weak/flexible trolling rod mount, and poor access to clear bait tank intake clogs. I was most surprised to hear about the soft bottom problems of the yak. I know about reversing the drive but to me that is a very poor solution to the reverse problem. This info definitely helps when deciding whether to drop all that cash.

[Fishwhisperer619]

The PA has plenty of room if you plan ahead. I keep my bigger fish laying on the side of the deck where rods would usually lay. Still leashed to a clip of course but out of the way ultimately leaving the drive operational and unaffected.

[steveooo]

Originally Posted by kayakfisherman

I've been paddling for 10yrs, and at 58 I've got a six pack. ..

He ain't kidding!



True story. That picture was taken about 30 seconds before a fox mistakenly ran out of the woods toward Yani. He killed the fox with his bare hands, and made a delicious Greek soup out of it.

In regard to Hobie kayaks (and any other kayak), I think the best thing you can do is try before you buy. Every kayak has its pros and cons. Experiencing those pros and cons on the water, and figuring out what is important to you will help you make an informed decision about which kayak is the best for you.

I'm in a Hobie because for me, the one BIG benefit (Mirage Drive) outweighs any of the other things listed above. Most of the things listed in posts above are a non-issue for me, or are a result of having the Mirage Drive, so the choice to be in a Hobie was an easy one. Everyone has a different list of what is important to them. Sometimes Hobie come out on top as the best choice, occasionally it doesn't. Judging by the amount of guys in So Cal that started in a paddle kayak, and have ultimately ended up in a Hobie, I do think Hobie is doing something right.

OEX has demo kayaks from most major kayak manufacturers, is located right on the water, and they also host kayak demo days every once in a while. If you want to test out a few brands, I'd definitely go pay them a visit to try a few to figure out which is the best for you.

[f'nsabiki]

That was the best post ever!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYqcHE4WVSs#t=143
"Landings can be exciting too, im sure all of you have seen frank wiredantzs video of me eating it in the surf possibly the greatest video of all time. I honestly dont see why its funny but other people seem to think so. That happened because i had lost my paddle earlier in the day bad timing and i got caught in the kill zone with no way to back up or turn around. Since then i havent had any crashes that i can remember....i like to come in sideways and brace into the oncoming waves all the way in, it seems to work."

[buttchaser]

Originally Posted by f'nsabiki

That was the best post ever!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYqcHE4WVSs#t=143
"Landings can be exciting too, im sure all of you have seen frank wiredantzs video of me eating it in the surf possibly the greatest video of all time. I honestly dont see why its funny but other people seem to think so. That happened because i had lost my paddle earlier in the day bad timing and i got caught in the kill zone with no way to back up or turn around. Since then i havent had any crashes that i can remember....i like to come in sideways and brace into the oncoming waves all the way in, it seems to work."

l.

Haha.. oh Gawd just what i needed to start the week off right....

[sandydiego]

Originally Posted by ChristLike

As for storage, I personally open my front hatch and take out the white tub and stick a large trash bag under it so when I get the trophys I lean forward, lift it up and the fish go into the hull trash bag liner.

I leave the white bathtub at home and have pulled the silly rod holders out and blocked the openings off with a set of plates cut to the same shape as the rod holders. Opens up the front hatch area a ton.

The engineers at hobie were bummed I did this. They love the rod holder tube for some reason.

Steve

[lowprofile]

Man, I love Hobies. I miss my PA something fierce! (*hobie, if your listening, please send me a PA for Christmas!*)

surf launches?
yeah, it was tough at first. the PA is a big boat (for a single person, kinda small for two though). I had to get used to plowing through waves rather than going over them like in my X-factor. the way to do it is with the drive installed. many people advise against it but if you can time the sets right to where your launching in knee deep water, throw that drive in, hop in and peddle like hell!

Landing. its not the easiest. using my PA to run shark baits off the beach gave me A LOT of launching and landing practice in not so ideal conditions. A lot of night runs too. your not going to surf the PA like a Malibu or OK kayak, the best way I found in big surf is to come in backwards. you'll need your peddles AND paddle for this one.
when you make it just outside the break, turn so your rear is facing the beach and paddle backwards. when your inside the break and a wave is coming at you, stop paddling and peddle forward to keep in one spot, just before the wave hits peddle into it and push through the wave. Once on top or through the wave start paddling backwards again. once you make it closer to shore and your in about 4ft of water, pull the peddles and rudder. face into the oncoming waves and just keep straight as they push you towards shore.

The PA needs more storage. Like said before, you cant fit a 40lb fish in the hull. the storage box heats up and ice never stays frozen. the old seat was too low and my legs fell asleep, the vantage seat is difficult to jump in and out of. the paddle clip should be on the outside of the yak, not next to the seat, taking up more room.

not much wrong with them in my eyes, but they aren't perfect. the stability, weight capacity and ability to handle rough water makes up for most, if not all its faults.

I'm not here to persuade anyone into a Hobie. try different yaks, find what you like and have fun. that's what its all about. I had a lot of fun in my Malibu and Hobie. I caught a lot more fish in the Hobie because I took it out more often. Although that was probably due to the hobie being easier to load up and get on the water with.

Heres some pics of me and some friends having fun in our Hobies.

[kauaiboy04]

thanks for the honest writeup. many people push others to choose certain kayaks over others, but i strongly believe in trying EVERYTHING out for yourself. some people like to paddle, some people like to peddle. to each his own.

[wiredantz]

Pro Anglers, are good skiffs. I strongly believe they should offer a limited life time warranty on the kayak itself for a price tag of 3k.


Even if they do take care of you, unless its on paper, I am not shelling out 3k for it.


That a hefty price tag for me at least.